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Electric Fork Simulates a Salty Flavor By Shocking Your Tongue (med.news.am)

Posted by BeauHD on from the shocking-news dept.

An anonymous reader writes: It's common knowledge that excess sodium can be detrimental to one's health. So researchers in Japan have built a prototype electric fork that uses electrical stimulation to stimulate the taste of salt. The battery-powered fork was engineered and designed at the University of Tokyo's Rekimoto Lab. It features a conductive handle that completes a circuit when the tines make contact with a diner's tongue, electrically stimulating their taste buds. The prototype fork, which was built from just $18 worth of electronics, creates a sensation of both salty and sour, and has adjustable levels of stimulation.

6 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. It is also known.. by thesupraman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That not enough sodium in your diet can be detrimental to one's health.
    And more importantly, not enough Iodine, depending on location, can be pretty bad also.

    Bring on the Iodised salt!

    Come on people, is it that complicated? everything in moderation, and a well rounded and balanced diet?

    Of course, if they can invent a Chocolate fork... I suspect they will do well.

    1. Re:It is also known.. by geekmux · · Score: 3, Insightful

      That not enough sodium in your diet can be detrimental to one's health. And more importantly, not enough Iodine, depending on location, can be pretty bad also.

      Bring on the Iodised salt!

      Come on people, is it that complicated? everything in moderation, and a well rounded and balanced diet?

      Walk into any building that sells food on this planet and ask where the low-sodium-soy-free-non-MSG-no-additives-no-preservatives-no-growth-hormones-no-HFCS isle is. Is it that complicated for you to grasp the concept that "people" didn't choose to put all this shit into what manufacturers like to call "food" today?

      Everything in moderation? Yeah, I agree. Now let me know when the food processing industry is going to "moderate" their flavor of capitalism that caused the creation of an electric fork.

    2. Re:It is also known.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It isn't going to happen until you (the consumer) start paying for it.

      Raising livestock without antibiotics and anabolic steroids isn't profitable;
      Raising produce without pesticides isn't profitable;
      Getting livestock or produce into a consumers hands without preservatives isn't profitable;
      Selling a product that hasn't been pumped full of flavor enhancers and additives to meet consumer expectations isn't profitable;

      Running a business without turning a profit isn't... ?

  2. This is freakin' cool by PPalmgren · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There's a lot of cynics here, but this kind of thing is great for someone who needs sodium regulation, especially the elderly. Simulated taste could also help a lot of people work towards a healthier lifestyle.

  3. Re:What are the chances by arth1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Unless you're watching Princess Bride, that is.

    This is slashdot. We all watch The Princess Bride.

  4. Salty Fork? by RivenAleem · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Would this not just make the fork taste salty? Once the food is deposited and you start chewing, the salty flavour will be gone and your food will feel like it needs salt.